868.51/3–2145: Telegram

President Roosevelt to British Prime Minister Churchill

723. What would you think of sending a special mission for developing the productive power of Greece rapidly by concerted, non-political action? Such a mission could consist of people like Lyttelton,96 Mikoyan, the People’s Commissar for Foreign Trade of U.S.S.R. and Donald Nelson, who is back after a very successful similar mission in [Page 204] China.97 It would not take them long and might have a highly constructive effect on world opinion at this time.

I take it that they could meet in Greece in about a month’s time.

I am not taking it up with the Soviet Government until I get your slant.

Roosevelt
  1. Capt. Oliver Lyttelton, British Minister of Production.
  2. Donald M. Nelson, Chairman of the War Production Board until September 30, 1944; for documentation on his mission to China as Personal Representative of President Roosevelt, see Foreign Relations, 1944, vi, pp. 247 ff.